The Diplomat
Ghana’s Ambassador to Spain, Regina Appiah-Sam, presented her Credentials to UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili at the organization’s headquarters in Madrid on Wednesday.
During the event, according to the Ghanaian news site Joy Online, the ambassador reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to cultural diplomacy through tourism and highlighted her country’s “unique position” as a gateway to Africa and the African diaspora. She also referred to Ghana’s rich heritage, historical sites, and the growing interest in initiatives such as heritage tourism. She also highlighted the critical importance of tourism to Ghana’s economy and its contribution to cultural exchange, job creation, and national development.
For his part, Pololikashvili congratulated Ambassador Appiah-Sam on her new role as Permanent Representative of Ghana to UN Tourism and reported that the conversation between the two focused on practical areas of collaboration, including expanding training opportunities, increasing tourism-related investment in Ghana, and deeper engagement between Ghana and the organization.
Ghana, a founding member of UN Tourism, currently serves on the organization’s Executive Council and remains actively involved in the policy discussions shaping the future of global travel and tourism. Ambassador Appiah-Sam expressed Ghana’s readiness to pursue new avenues of partnership, particularly in capacity building, digital innovation, and youth development within the tourism sector.